Congo or not?

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by Congoblades

Nice Lokele knife, Congo. Is there a hole in de back of the handle? Most of them have a weight on the handle.

Hello Congoblades, thanks for your reply, much appreciated, there is a hole in the end of the handle that the tang is bent over in. you will be able to see when I post the photo requested by Ian. Have you any thoughts on the handle material, significance of the lizard/snake decoration and possible age? I love these weapons of the Congo thir shapes and decoration fascinate me.
Regards
Miguel

[Miguel]

Hello Rick and Tim, thanks for your reply Ive always thought it to be bone, it will be interesting to see what the others make of it when the see a photo of the end.
Regards
Miguel

[mariusgmioc]

Originally Posted by Miguel

Hello Rick and Tim, thanks for your reply Ive always thought it to be bone, it will be interesting to see what the others make of it when the see a photo of the end.
Regards
Miguel

I'm pretty sure it's ivory.

Maybe some cleaning/polishing will return it to its former glory. Not that you can't leave it like it is now.

[Congoblades]

It is definitely an old one, how old exactly is hard to tell (some experts can ). To be safe I would say first quarter of the 20th century.
If the handle has the same age as the blade it would be ivory for sure.
About the decoration, I don't see a lizard or snake.

[Tim Simmons]

Taken out of the symmetry of the blade there could be a snake in the decoration, a common motif on African blades.

[Congoblades]

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

Taken out of the symmetry of the blade there could be a snake in the decoration, a common motif on African blades.

Africa is a very large and diverse continent, saying that it is a common motif on blades is a bit strange. If you want to see a snake in it that's fine for me, but why should there be a snake on a knife from the So, Olombe or Lokele blacksmiths who produces such type of knives?

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

Taken out of the symmetry of the blade there could be a snake in the decoration, a common motif on African blades.

Hi Tim, I'm pleased that you also can make out a snake in the decoration but as I explained to Congoblades I think it is due to it following the blade contour.
Regards
Miguel

[Pieje]

It's indeed similar to Lokele knives but the general shape of the blade and its decoration point towards the BENGE.

Check this old thread for an example of such BENGE sword in the book "Panga na visu".
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=16673

First quarter of the 20th century seems ok.
Handle material seems definitely ivory to me.

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by Pieje

It's indeed similar to Lokele knives but the general shape of the blade and its decoration point towards the BENGE.

Check this old thread for an example of such BENGE sword in the book "Panga na visu".
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=16673

First quarter of the 20th century seems ok.
Handle material seems definitely ivory to me.

Hello Pieje, thank you for your reply and link. As you say the blade shape and decoration on the Benge sword are identical even the two small holes which I thought represented the snake`s eyes, I find it confusing to differentiate between the varius tribal weapons when the blade shapes are so similar but I think the decoration seems to clinch this one as Benge. Thanks again for your interest.
Regards
Miguel

[Ian]

Miguel:

That is definitely elephant ivory on the hilt. The criss-cross pattern in cross section is typical of ivory.

As far as a snake or lizard, I can see the general form of a reptile but it may be something else. It's always hard to tell with these geometric shapes and without knowledge of the culture and its artistic preferences I would say it is difficult to be certain what we are looking at.

Ian

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by Congoblades

It is definitely an old one, how old exactly is hard to tell (some experts can ). To be safe I would say first quarter of the 20th century.
If the handle has the same age as the blade it would be ivory for sure.
About the decoration, I don't see a lizard or snake.

Hello Congoblades, I probabely have an over active imagination and can definitely see a stylised snake in the decoration. It just looks like one even though it may not have been the intention of the Smith who produced it. I think it is due to the decoration following the outline of the blade.
Regards
Miguel